The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-01-19
RuSineSS Dishonesty.

at has come to this in business"
merchant said recently, shat you can
generally cheat man worst by telling
him the fair, square truth. He won't
believe you, and in the end when he
finds he's swindled, he has nobody to
blame but himself" a story which we
once heard dog fancier tell illustrates
perfectly what the speaker meant. Il
had some dogs to SELL" the dog owner
remarked, "and among them was
very good-looking fellow that wasn't
worth a pin. He was a handsome brute
but he hadn't been trained, and you
couldn't train him. He had all the
points, but he was worthless. Well,
one day fellow wanted to buy dog,
and l told him to take two or three out
hunting with him and look them over
and pick out one: and he picked out
this very dog. He asked what the
price was, and 1 said to him: Il gave
twenty dollars for that dog, but l tell
you honestly he is not worth anything
And / told him just how it was. What
was the result? Why, he thought 1
wanted to keep that dog and was lying
to keep him from buying him, and
have him he would. Two or three
weeks after he offered me the dog for
five dollars, and finally he took him up
country and left him because he was
not worth bringing back. Everybody
lies so nowadays, that a man never
thinks you are telling the truth in a
trade"
Any business man would be likely
enough to be able to add instances OF
similar nature. The truth is that trick
cry in trade has become so common as
almost to be regarded as legitimate;
and the old proverb has been prac'
tically to add trade to love and war in
the category of things which excuse
any and all means of gaining an end.
Il retired from business retired
leather merchant told friend, "be-
cause L must lose money, or make it
by means / wouldn't stoop to. Com
petition in business methods l can meet
as long as it is honest, but when 1T
came to match in roguery, threw up
my hand"
The only possible reflection which
can give any satisfaction in this matter
is that the worse dishonesty becomes the
more nearly it approaches the point
where it defeats itself aud reaction
begins When it comes to be generally
felt that nobody can be relied upon,
reputation for absolute honesty be-
comes so valuable commercially that
once more men find it worth while to
cultivate habit of straightforward
dealing from business point of view,
even if they are not capable of being
moved thereto by moral principles.
/ usiness can only be conducted upon
the assumption of individual honesty,
and hence when fraud becomes too evil
dent the instinct of self-seeking comes
into play to force men back once more
to cleaner methods and more honorable
dealing; and ii the common prevaleNce
of corruption may be taken as a sign,
we cannot he far from the point of re-
action today.-Boston Courier.
QUESTIONS for beginners in arith-
metic How can FIVE persons divide
five eggs so that each man will receive
one, and still one remain in the dish
Answer: Ono takes the dish with the
egg.
"YEs, have seen but twenty springs"
MARBLES poetess. Never mind, dar-
ling, you are young yet, and have plen-
ty of time to make the round of all the
watering places.